DETROIT, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center's Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant Program (BMT) has received full accreditation from the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) – the highest level and the most extensive spectrum of accreditation offered by FACT for Bone Marrow Transplant Programs.

This includes accreditation for both adult and pediatric clinical programs, apheresis collection, marrow harvest collection and stem cell processing. The accreditation is effective for three years beginning Sept. 30, 2012.

Additionally, Karmanos' BMT program, the largest of its kind in Michigan, was honored with an award for being a site that has maintained continuous FACT accreditation for ten years or more. Karmanos' first FACT accreditation was received in 2000.

"We are extremely pleased about receiving full accreditation from FACT," said Toni Henderson-Clark, MSN, MSBA, RN, CCRN, quality and regulatory specialist for the Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant Program at Karmanos. "We make it an absolute priority to provide the best and most effective therapies for those patients who come to us for bone marrow transplants. The fact that we have maintained FACT accreditation for so long speaks to that commitment."

Karmanos doctors performed 273 bone marrow transplants in 2012 and expect to perform around 300 this year. The program also has been honored in the past by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) for facilitating 25,000 transplants via its registry, as well as performing 250 marrow collections on behalf of the national program.

FACT-accredited organizations are required to fulfill the ongoing, rigorous standards set forth and to complete annual reports prior to the 12th and 24th month of their current accreditation cycle.

FACT, founded in 1996 and based at the University of Nebraska, establishes standards for high quality medical and laboratory practice in cellular therapies. FACT is a non-profit corporation co-founded by the International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) and the American Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) for the purposes of voluntary inspection and accreditation in the field of cellular therapy.

About the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute Located in mid-town Detroit, Michigan, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Caring for nearly 6,000 new patients annually on a budget of $265 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific investigation programs and clinical trials, Karmanos is among the nation's best cancer centers. Through the commitment of 1,000 staff, including nearly 300 physicians and researchers on faculty at the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and supported by thousands of volunteer and financial donors, Karmanos strives to prevent, detect and eradicate all forms of cancer. Its long-term partnership with the WSU School of Medicine enhances the collaboration of critical research and academics related to cancer care. Gerold Bepler, M.D., Ph.D. is the Institute's president and chief executive officer. For more information call 1-800-KARMANOS or go to www.karmanos.org.